Sound-box for talking-machines.



C. E. WOODS.

SOUND BOX FOR TALKING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED, JULY 14, 1914.

Patented July 6, 1915.

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TED PATENT OFFICE cLm'roN n. woons, or iamcnronr, comvnc'rrcu'r, assrcnon rt, ,mnmcnn saunornonn comm, or Bnrnearonr, connnc'rxcur, a conroaa'rIoN .citizen of the United States of America, and

a residentof Bridgeport, Connecticut, have invented a new and useful Improvement, in

Sound-Boxes for Talking-Machines, which invention is fully set forth in the following specification. L

, This invention relates to reproducers fer talking machines, and has for its objects to improve the uality of the sound reproductions obtaine by the use of such reproducers, to cheapen the construction thereof, and to provide an instrument of this characbe subjected to ordinarilyrough handling without danger of destroying or injuring the delicate diaphragm thereof.

' In reproducers as heretofore constructed, a great variety of materials have been employed for the diaphra'gms, such as metal,

mica, glass, etc., al of which were open to more or less serious objections. Mica dia phragms, generally speaking, have given the best results,- but they are the most expensive.

Some metal diaphragms, and particularly diaphragms of aluminium, have given very superior results, and the'same can be cheaply .blow on, the reproducin bar, thereby destroying t e same as a means .of obtaining a reproduction of fine quality.

manufactured,but as heretofore constructed they are open to the objection that the metal is easily buckled or distorted by any slight needle or" needle Glass .diaphragms' have also given good results, -but glass is fragile and easily broken. Among 'the metals, aluminum has long been recognized as possessing very superior acoustic properties. and as being a most excellent substance from which to construct diaphragms, but for the fact that when the diaphragm was made sutliciently delicate to take advantage of-the superior qualitiesof the metal for reproducing purposes, it would become buckled after short use, and in fact had to be handled very carefully in assembling the parts of the reproducer to insure desirable results when it was new. So great specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed m 14, 1914 serial No. 850,889.

VSOUND-IBOX r03. raLxmc-uacnnms.

Patented July 6, 1915.

have been the difiiculties encountered in the useof an aluminum reproducer that, notwithstanding its recognized desirable qualities as a metal for giving reproductions of superior quality, its commercial use has in many instances been abandoned for that of the more expensive mica diaphra s.

fore, is to provide a reproducer with a metal diaphragm and more specifically an alu-,

'55 I One Bf the objects of my invention, therestruct the diaphragm and other parts of the re roducer that the buckling, distortion and ot er ob ections that. have heretofore prevented the'extended, use of aluminum an'd other metal diaphragms maybe entirely.

avoided. I,

With these objects in view, the invention conslsts in a reproducer orother 'sound-box such as a recorder) he diaphragm, re erably of aluminum, and prefera ly ickest at its center and gradually diminishing in thickness toward the periphery of the diaphragm, the (periph 'ery bein provided with an upturne flange preferab y at approximately right angles to the plane of the diaphragm itself. This diaphragm is made of less diameter than the interior diameter of the sound-box itself, and in order to insure that no part of the diaphragm shall come in contact withthe metal of the sound-box casing itself, and for the further purpose of holding the diaphragm with great firmness in its position in the sound-box, there is provided an annular gas' ket of elastic material, such as rubber or cork. which is provided with an annular shoulder whose external diameter is less than the internal diameter of the sound-box casing, which shoulder is engaged by the flange of the diaphragm. When the diameans, as for example a screw bezel or ring,

pi' eferably with a gasket of suitable elastic rovided with a metal inaterial, as

twe'e'ri the retaining .merhb'ei and th e' face of ed p m ma 1 a The iiiventiveidea involved ,is -jc'apabie of receiving a variety of 'ihechanical e; sions, some of which, for the sake oi allustrating the invention, are shown in the, ac-

companyin drawings, but it istoj; ex

pressly u'n erstood that such d awings are for the purpose of illustration only, and are not designed to define the limits of theim vention, reference being had to the appeiided claims for this purpose. I V In said drawings Figure 1 is aceliti'al transverse section through a reproducei em;-

bodying my invention, with the stylus bet,"

the sty s and the'retaining' screw shown in elevation; Fig. 2 is a central transversesec tion of a diaphragrhon an enlarged scale, in which one face of the diaphragm is a lane surface, while the other face ua'lly tapers from the centertoward. the geri' l1.- ery thereof; Fig. 3 is a like section 0, at I iii: phragin in which-the thickness of the diaphragm graduallytapers onboth facesfroih the centertoward the periphery thereofgend Figs. 4 5 and fiv show some of the forins which the shouldered gasket may assume A Referring to the drawings, in Whichlike reference numerals indicete like parts throughout the several views, 1 is e sqund box casing of metal or an silitehle imiterial,

cup-shaped as showman provided with the Y usu'al back mu or bottom Zand heck 3, by means of whichitis connected{to the tone-arm casing 1 is an annular gasket 1 (if any suit- .able elasticmaterial, as rubber or cork, aiifl this gasket is provided with an annular shoulderfi on that face of the gaske t'tvhich is turned outward from the'back or vivall 2 of the casingl, the external diameter of siiid shoulder being less than theiutei'nal diameter of the casing. Dif lerent forms of gaskets provided with such shoulder such as alumiriun said ,di a phragih being thickest at'its center'and cm ring "rzidiially from the centerto the periph ness of the cehtraljiortioh of the diaphragm may vary ufithinlirhits, as well asthe thickncss of the peripheral portion thereof, .1 have found that very superior resultsare ob- 6 is the diaphragm of,any sfitable xtiet il tnincd by making the centralportiom when g H to include both formsof souiid-box.

thc diaphragm-is of aluminum, about .015 of an inch, a'nd the thicknessat the periph- -or about .004 of an inch. Thediaphragm may be made with one face thereof plane,

.Io (Fig; 3). The dmphhi 'm having-be n v v the taperin of the machine Seatedfwithili are" l tyhe. thick;

e f fi dwfi at Tin Mind the oth r. fit thereofta eririg, as shown at 8 iii siiid figep e fi sm y P r'fri h w t? toward the periphery,,as shown at '9 m d ie v wi h h desire tape is en p' di h a P r P r 1 nn .1. new ably in imparting this forth to the diehragm,v,a circular disk ofth'e ihethli s cut from a shectthereof having approximately uniform thicknessend it is then struck several blows in a siiitatble die with a. proper hammer. ,This serves, notonly to impar thickness to the diaphragm; but

also to bat en themetal and impartto the ein e vnit rmm u 'r con r tie The k av en: his tr te ith the 11 is then formedgthereoh by d wingm 'siiitahle dies, or otherwise,- and a suitable W P Y Q i e perforation 12 having e t r w e th dnp m is-"p ape in p it wit -heflt 11 n aging. t e shoulder 5 on the gasket 4-. Pre e rg ly a' second annulangasket 13 of; cork, riihber or other elastic material is. then placed h teehwp hedier mz m s me f n n th s a d the immune wur sl in p t by y ble r ta ni m n s f exa p s ewel r n 1%.- ny ita stylus ba -:15 i c mfl"i1 n; frame of the sound'ebog'as at 16, is t "en secured by suitable mean tofthe cent r of the diaphragm at'f17, said st. 1H8 bar -beingprovided-w th the usual ,sty taini'n screw. 19. g v Wit the parts thus constructed dnd'jas,

fse'mbled; it will found that there is rovided a reproducer which will .re'pr uce and'Ynwhichthe dia hraginwill not biw lle or become disto usage.v a

r ep p s dtpm s the. ur ace. *o'f the di' hragin' frohi atinosp erie action, arid for the furtherpur ot nhaticing the I med 1s 1 dy; im e calcomanias are employed.

Wh'le 1 have, for convenieiiceqfldgci ipg" I c aim he to appe ed intended .1 and aware of the tact that it" her-emf f re e n Pr p e o pro d a diaph agm with a peripheral flange, and also that it he 18 a'iid re-- recordd sounds with gr'eat faithfulhess hie under the 'i oilghest accuracy, and. of remarkably finequality,

iii

7 iii the opposite side from said seat, a metal toward the periphery. And I do not broadly claim either of these constructions per 86 as of my invention, but

' What I doclaim is 1. Ina sound-box for talking machines, the combination of a frame or casin having an annular seat, a vgasket of elastic material seated therein said gasket having an annular groove formed in that face on the opposite side from said seat, a diaphragm having a peripheral flange engaging the groove in said. gasket, and means retaining said diaphragm in position.

2. In a sound-box for talking machines,

the combination of a frameor casin having an annular seat, a gasket of elastic material seated therein said gasket having an annular groove formed in that face on the opposite side from-said seat, a diaphragm thickest at' its center and tapering toward its peripheryand having a peripheral flange engaging the groove in said gasket, and means retaining said diaphragm in position.

3. In a sound-box for talking machines, the combination of a frame or casing hav- 'ing an annular seat therein, a gasket of elastic material seated therein and having an annular groove formed in that faceon diaphragm, peripherally flanged, thickest at its center and tapering toward its periphery, with its flange entering the groove in said gasket, and means retaining said diaphragm in position.

4. In a sound-box for talking machines, the combination of a frame or casin having' an annular seat therein, a gas et of elastic material seated therein and having an annular groove formed in that face on i the opposite side from said seat, an aluminum diaphragm, peri herally flanged, thickest at its center an tapering toward its periphery, with its flange .enterin the.

groove in said gasket, and means retaining said diaphragm in position.

5. In. a sound-box for talking machines, the combination of a cupor casing, a resilient diaphragm-support or gasket seated therein and pr'ovlded with an annular shoulder of less diameter than the internal diameter of said casing, a diaphragm of less diameter than said casing and having a peripheral flange engaging said shoulder, and

means retaining said diaphragm in position.

6. In a sound-box for talking machines, the combination of a casing, an annular gasket seated therein and provided with, an annular shoulder of less diameter than the internal diameter of said casing, a metal diaphragm 'of less diameter than the internal diameter of saidcasing and having a.

peripheral flange engaging said shoulder,

and means retaining said diaphragm in position.

7 In a sound-box for talking machines, the combination of a casing, an annular gasket seated therein and rovided with an annular shoulder of less iameter than the internal diameter of said casing, an aluminium diaphragm of less diameter than the internal diameter of said casing and having a peripheral flange engaging said shoulder, and means retaining said diaphragm in position. r

8. In a sound-box for talking, machines, the, combination of a casing, an annular gasket seated therein and rovided with an annular shoulder of less iameter than the internal diameter of said casing, a metaldiaphragm thickest at its'center and tapering toward its periphery and having a peripheral flange engaging said shoulder, and means retaining said diaphragm in position.

9. In a sound-box for talking machines, the combination of a 'casing, an annular gasket seated therein and provided with an annular shoulder of less diameter than the internal diameter of said casing, an aluminum diaphragm thickest at its center and tapering toward its periphery and having-a peripheral flange engaging. said shoulder,

and means retaining said diaphragm in po-.

aluminum din hragm of less diameter than the internal iameter of'said casing, with resilient means supporting said diaphragm in said casing but out of contact therewith.

11. In a sound-box fortalking machines,

the combination vof a casing and a peripherally flanged aluminum diaphragm thickest at its center and-tapering toward its periphery, with resilient means supporting.

said'diaphragm in said casing but. out 'of contact therewith.

12. In a sound-box for talking machines, -a diaphragm having a decalcomania protecting coator covering on the face thereof. -13. In a sound-box for talking machines,

:the combination of a metal cup, an annular flanged aluminum diaphragm of decreasing thickness from its center to its periphery, and a pair of annular elastic gaskets be.- tween which said diaphragm is held at its sition. Y

10. In a sound-box for talking machines, the combination of a casing an a flanged having an annular shoulder engaged by nange on the diaphragm.

'In testimony whereof Ihave signed his specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CLINTON E. WOODS.

Witnesses:

LAURETTA T NEAL,. J. S. GRIFFITH.

the 10 

